268 WHITE 



LETTER X 



THE Priory at times was much obliged to Gurdon and his 

 family. As Sir Adam began to advance in years he found his 

 mind influenced by the prevailing opinion of the reasonableness 

 and efficacy of prayers for the dead ; and therefore, in con- 

 junction with his wife Constantia, in the year 1271, granted to 

 the prior and convent of Selborne all his right and claim to a 

 certain place, placea, called "La Playstow," in the village 

 aforesaid, "in liberam, puram, et perpetuam elemosinam" 

 This Pleystow, 1 locus ludorum, or play-place, is a level area 

 near the church of about forty-four yards by thirty-six, and is 

 known now by the name of the Plestor. 2 



It continues still, as it was in old times, to be the scene of 

 recreation for the youths and children of the neighborhood ; 

 and impresses an idea on the mind that this village, even in 

 Saxon times, could not be the most abject of places, when the 

 inhabitants thought proper to assign so spacious a spot for the 

 sports and amusements of its young people. 3 



As soon as the prior became possessed of this piece of 

 ground, he procured a charter for a market 4 from King 

 Henry III., and began to erect houses and stalls, " seldas" 

 around it. From this period Selborne became a market town ; 

 but how long it enjoyed that privilege does not appear. At 

 the same time, Gurdon reserved to himself, and his heirs, a 

 way through the said Plestor to a tenement and some crofts 

 at the upper end, abutting on the south corner of the church- 

 yard. This was in old days the manorial house of the street 

 manor, though now a poor cottage, and is known at present 

 by the modern name of Elliot's. Sir Adam also did, for the 

 health of his own soul and that of his wife Constantia, their 

 predecessors and successors, grant to the prior and canons 

 quiet possession of all the tenements and gardens, " curtilla- 

 gia" which they had built and laid out on the lands in Sel- 

 borne, on which he and his vassals, " homines" had undoubted 

 right of common ; and moreover did grant to the convent 

 the full privilege of that right of common, and empowered 

 the religious to build tenements and make gardens along the 

 king's highway in the village of Selborne. 



